If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree falls toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall be.
Read Chapter 11
Ambrose of Milan
AD 397
He who reads much and also understands is filled; he who has been filled sheds water upon others. So Scripture says, “If the clouds be full, they will pour out rain upon the earth.” Letter , To Constantius.
This sentence obviously is meant in a figurative and spiritual sense.… The south is in many ways distinguished from the north geographically, but also in a spiritual sense: The bride in the Song of Songs says, “Awake, O north wind, and come, O south wind!” So she sends the evil power away. The evil power was within her. When the evil was active, that is, the evil regarding faith and vocation, then she had the north wind living within. When she “turned away from evil” and went to the doing of good, she called for the south wind. Pay attention to the occasion: “Blow upon my garden that its fragrance may be wafted abroad,” [she says to the south wind]; the north wind does not do this. She uses the terms in a quite physical sense, since the “cold wind” is called “north wind.” The cold wind closes the openings of the trees, the socalled invisible pores, so that the elements of fragrance are kept inside. But when the warm south wind blows through the garden of the soul, … then the pores are ...
If the tree fall The state of the soul is unchangeable, when once she comes to heaven or hell: and the soul that departs this life in the state of grace, shall never fall from grace; as on the other side, a soul that dies out of the state of grace, shall never come to it. But this does not exclude a place of temporal punishments for such souls as die in the state of grace: yet not so as to be entirely pure; and therefore they shall be saved, indeed, yet so as by fire, 1 Corinthians iii. 13, 14, 15. (Challoner)
After death, none can merit. (Worthington)
"He who shall not have cultivated his field, (the soul) shall after this life experience the fire of purgation, or eternal punishment. "(St. Augustine, de Gen. contra Man. ii. 20.) (Haydock)
The souls in purgatory have their names inscribed in heaven, like the ancient saints, who were detained in the bosom of Abraham. (Calmet)
They fall, therefore, to the south. Let people dispense their alms to all, as the clouds rain upon the just ...
If the tree fall: The state of the soul is unchangeable when once she comes to heaven or hell: and a soul that departs this life in the state of grace, shall never fall from grace: as on the other side, a soul that dies out of the state of grace, shall never come to it. But this does not exclude a place of temporal punishments for such souls as die in the state of grace: yet not so as to be entirely pure: and therefore they shall be saved, indeed, yet so as by fire. 1 Cor. 3. 13, 14, 15.
